Statement on the attack of the ANC Cllr by Agang hooligans

23 July 2013

The ANC-Limpopo condemns in the strongest terms the political violence instigated against our members by the sponsored Agang political party members wearing party T-shirts in Mokopane- Ward 20 - (Mozombane), on Monday, 22 July 2013. The levels and scale of violence demonstrates that Agang is the real merchants and purveyor of violence in the ward.

The violent nature stem from the illegal occupation of the Ndebele land of Chief Kekana, which is parallel to the ANC land reform programme. Agang thought they will get the political mileage and tarnish the image of the ANC by their unconstitutional land reform programme. We have seen evidence of intolerable Agang intruders of land whose worst form was a brutal and bloody tragedy when they assault and stone Cllr. Samuel Mathebula`s car. Our Cllr. became the victim of Agang and who later reported the matter to the police.

The unwarranted and unprovoked attack on Cllr. Mathebula by 250-300 Agang hooligans is a living testimony of the party`s blatant disrespect for property and humanity. This is shameful and totally unacceptable. The ANC is a peace loving revolutionary party that brought freedom and democracy, economic liberation and land reform programs. The success of the liberation struggle was a result of effective and thorough political mobilization and ideological conscientisation, through careful political education and persuasion of the masses. We applaud the police for arresting three culprits in the forefront of this violent attack on Cllr. Mathebula and his property.

Agang went further giving false impression that the ANC-led municipality of Mokopane was handing out food parcels to destitute families and individuals in ward 20 for the purpose of inciting violence and anarchy in the ward. The Agang leadership in the ward urged its members to demand food parcels from the Municipality, in vain hope that they would recruit more members. Despite these acts of provocation, we urge ANC and law-abiding community members to continue to exercise restraint and vigilance. We condemn in very strong terms their violent and barbaric actions.